Cephalanthus occidentalis

buttonbush

Rubiaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

5 to 20 ft tall by 4 to 8 ft wide

Life Span:

long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in late spring. Fruits ripen in summer. Lifespan likely >50 yrs (Nelson).

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wetlands and wetland edges as a specimen plant with a pleasing multi-stemmed vase-shape.

Considerations:

Foliage is poisonous to livestock and humans.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Stays wet ---- to ---- Usually moist, occasional inundation

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam, Organic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Host plant to several moths including titan sphinx ( Aellopos titan ) and hydrangea sphinx ( Darapsa versicolor ) moths ( https://xerces.org/blog/planting-for-pollinators-button-bush ).


Flowers are very attractive to a variety of insects including butterflies and bees.

Deer browse the foliage. Ducks and other birds including jays, cardinals, nuthatches, titmice, warblers, and mockingbirds consume the seed.

Native Habitats:

Marshes, swamps, river floodplains